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mhickman23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Slavery, Stalking, Vomit, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Child abuse, Outing, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Animal cruelty, War, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Animal death, Genocide, and Fatphobia
sauvageloup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
pros:
- the cult setting was extremely well done, very frightening and sinister and the traumatic effect on Robin and the others was obvious in their reactions. It definitely made you think about the horrors of cults.
- sadly J.K. is a talented writer and the pacing and characters are very good, with the complicated plot coming together and the characters growing throughout, to a degree.
cons
- the plot did feel too complicated towards the end as I struggled to keep straight who certain people were, including Graves and Abigail and some others. Would probably reward a reread.
- Strike was a bit annoying in this book, as he seemed naive/careless about the torment Robin went through (which though well addressed as it was happening and immediately after, seemed to be forgotten as the plot came together at the end), his jealousy towards Murphy is tiring, and his lack of action towards Robin gets frustrating.
- J.K. is clearly also making a point about how the law hesitates to go against people for PC reasons and overly tip toeing around sensitive issues, like religious freedom and people living differently. Strike snidely says 'live and let live' to criticise the cult. I think she is doing a subtle dig here towards trans people and their rights.
but overall another compelling Robin and Strike novel, probably the one that gripped me most so far with the scary cult plot.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Stalking, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Abortion, Body horror, Medical content, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, and Alcohol
All the content warnings here, very dark.mountainside_reading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Suicide, Mental illness, Self harm, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Rape
leukermetjou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Sexual assault, Bullying, Rape, Child abuse, Murder, and Religious bigotry
vikkiph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking
Moderate: Dementia and Cancer
thbarretta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Miscarriage, Violence, and Murder
carriehaley89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Dementia and Pregnancy
ksilvio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Rape, Murder, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Death, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Torture, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Stalking
Moderate: Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Blood, Grief, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Self harm, and Trafficking
amberrgreen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
jess_who's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Fatphobia and Rape